


Love and Affection

by 7plasticglasses



Category: Ouran High School Host Club - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Host Club Parents, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-26
Updated: 2014-12-31
Packaged: 2018-02-10 13:00:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 18,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2026011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/7plasticglasses/pseuds/7plasticglasses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During Haruhi's second year at Ouran the Host Club parents form their own group. They have one goal, for Haruhi to marry one of their sons within a year. So the Hosts set out to impress Ranka and win Haruhi's love. The biggest challenge is that Haruhi is completely oblivious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Parent's Plan

**Author's Note:**

> This follows the plot line of the anime and draws only on the few manga I have read, which is less than half. Also this is the first time I've posted something I've written, so constructive criticism would be much appreciated, but please don't be too harsh with me. Also if anyone wants to beta the rest of this story, or correct any errors I've made so far you would become my new best friend.
> 
> Also in writing and posting this work, I do not lay any claim to any of the characters or original locations, they are property of Bisco Hatori, who is definitely not me.

Over the last year they had all matured, Hikaru was less jealous, Kaoru was more assertive, Honey a little taller, Mori a little louder. Even Tamaki was less impulsive and Kyoya was more willing to really smile. But it wasn’t much of a change, only a very little less envious, quiet or cold. Honey for example had gained no more than a few inches. Haruhi was the only one that hadn’t really changed, she was still as blind as a bat about everyone’s feelings for her.

This wouldn’t be a problem if it weren't for the parents of the host club. Even bigger, wealthier and more powerful than their children and they had formed a group of their own.They had met at Haruhi’s second Ouran fair and Yuzuru Suho had pulled the chairman card and dragged them all to an unused room. The Third Music Room actually, since the Host Club was in the Main Hall again.

Having cajoled the Haninozukas, Morinozukas and Hitachiins, bribed Ootori and threatened Ranka Fujioka, Chairman Suoh proceeded to wave his arms all over the room blabbering incessantly about his darling niece. If it had been an impression of Tamaki it would have been hysterical, instead it was kind of scary. 

“The adorable Haruhi Fujioka? You should have seen her and her father in all of those matching dresses last Saturday!” Mrs Hitachiin chattered right back. Causing the chairman to pout,

“I missed seeing my darling niece all dressed up?”

“My twins and I had her and Ranka model for us,” She replied.

“You know I must get myself one of those shorter green dresses! The cut of the sleeves just did fabulous things for my arms!” Ranka replied, launching a fashion tirade that he and Mrs Hitachiin sent back and forth over the chairman’s head.

In another corner of chairs the heads of the Haninozuka and Morinozuka families had settled down and picked up a calmer conversation.

“Are we all here for Haruhi Fujioka?” asked Mrs Haninozuka.

“Isn’t that why all our sons are here everyday?” replied her husband.

“And because they have all become friends,” added Mrs Morinozuka.

“She would make a fine match, wouldn’t she?” commented Mr Haninozuka.

“Its not like her common blood would be of much concern to our family,” said Mr Morinozuka, “We are servants after all.”

“Its not a concern to us either, the only question would be about her skill at martial arts, I don’t think she’s had any training,” stated the Haninozuka patriarch.

“We can train her to be passable at least,” replied Mr. Morinozuka with a grin at his old friend.

“She already has all the other skills required to act in service to a Haninozuka. She can cook and clean, and plan and charm her way through the proper events. She would be good to take my place someday to raise the next Morinozukas,” claimed Mrs Morinozuka.

Mrs Haninozuka cut in, “and what if Fujioka needs a more expressive partener to be able to flourish? She could also do quite well as a Haninozuka. She’s a strong girl and would help Mitsukuni be a good leader.”

“And what if she wants more maturity?” countered the Morinozuka matriarch.

“What about our younger son, Yasuchika?” inquired Mr Haninozuka.

“Satoshi certainly says more,” threw in Mr Morinozuka.

“She’s suitable for any of them,” said Mr Haninozuka with a dismissive wave of her hand, as if to close the conversation, “even if Mitsukuni would suit her best.”

“I have to disagree, she would do better with Takashi” retorted Mrs Morinozuka, completely ignoring the hand gesture.

Through out all of this mr Hitachiin had sat quietly in the background and Mr Ootori had taken notes. the later thought it was time to break up the conversations and get to the point.

“Suoh, what was it you wanted to discuss so badly?” questioned Yoshio Ootori. It worked, the cold, direct tone got everyone’s attention.

“Oh, yes. I wanted to talk about Haruhi Fujioka,” he replied, settling at Ootori’s words. “Fujioka, do you have plans for her?”

Ranka replied, “Haruhi makes her own plans, for the most part.”

“So you don’t care who she marries?” Suoh asked with surprise.  
“What, marriage!?!?! I can’t give up my little girl, how could you say such a thing? Wait, do you mean giving her to your son!” Ranka went from shocked to angry in a matter of seconds, starting with wailing and wringing his hands and moving to radiating dark anger and holding the chairman’s tie in a death grip, threatening to smash his head off the floor a few inches below.

“Of course not Suoh’s son, but you must have thought about who she might marry,” said Mrs Haninozuka, in an attempt to calm.

“What girl doesn’t want the chance to wear a stunning white gown?” asked Mrs Hitachiin.

“There are very few things that Haruhi would care less about than wedding dresses and it just breaks my heart,” sobbed Ranka. Who having released the chairman, head first, pressed his hands dramatically to his fake chest.

“What have you considered, Mr Fujioka?” Pressed Mr. Ootori.

“No one is good enough for her, besides the greatest benefit of ‘being common’ is being able to marry for love,” said Ranka, suddenly serious.

“What if she found that person?” wondered Mrs Morinozuka.

“Then I would have to let her go. She has always been so independent that if that’s what she wanted, nothing could change her mind. Not even me.” It was a rare occasion that brought about a Ranka that was both serious and solemn but the thought of Haruhi leaving was one thing that did.

“Then lets talk business, “ said Mr Ootori with a small smirk, this was where he had the advantage. “We are all interested in having one of our sons marry your daughter, and now is a suitable age for you to open negotiations for her hand.”

“All? And so soon?” another rare occasion, Ranka shocked so badly his voice cracked and dropped to a lower register.

“Yes” replied Ootori, though he was slightly surprised that they were all sincere enough about their sons marrying Haruhi that there wasn’t the slightest objection. “I would suggest that each of our sons would have to prove themselves to you and convince Haruhi of their love to earn your consideration. Since that would fulfill your requirements.”

The was nothing Ranka could find to reject about this, since he still had some control over the decision, so he nodded.

“A bit of friendly competition,” said Mr Haninozuka, with a smile at his life long friend and servant. Mr Morinozuka returned his grin, friendly competition had always been their favourite thing.

“The rules will be that each child gets only one parent as a benefactor, and that they must prove themselves to both Mr and Miss Fujioka before this time next year,“ announced Mr Ootori.

“How will the role of benefactor work?” Asked Ranka suspiciously because while the boys proving themselves would be good, parents stepping in wouldn’t let him know if Haruhi is going to be in good hands.

“As a supporter, to act as a motivator, to be designated to report on their son’s progress to the rest of the group and to make sure your daughter feels comfortable enough with each family to agree to marry into them,” reassured Mr Ootori the words carefully chosen to match how he knew any range of them would choose to work with their children. Ranka agreed with a simple nod.

“So if we declare benefactors now and write up a meeting schedule for us until the next Ouran Fair, we’ll be done here,” stated Ootori, “clearly I will stand for Kyoya.”

The Haninozuka and Morinozuka families exchanged looks, they knew who they would stand with.

Mrs Haninozuka began, “Mitsukuni.”

“Yasuchika,” declared Mr Haninozuka.

“Satoshi” stated Mr Morinozuka.

“Takashi” finished Mrs Morinozuka.

“What’s going on?” Chairman Suoh asked, just waking up for his bash to the head. After a brief explanation he said, “I will stand for my wonderful son, Tamaki.”

The Hitachiins exchanged a look of panic. “Does anyone have a coin?” asked Mrs Hitachiin. Ranka fished one out.

“Tail, Hikaru” said Mrs Hitachiin, her husband nodded, the coin was tossed. “I get Kaoru.”

“I get Hikaru,” the first words to come out of Mr Hitachiin all night.

“Let’s find our children and alert the to the wonderful new plan for my niece,” announced the chairman.

“But they can’t tell Haruhi, she must truly fall in love with them on her own.” said Ranka. After getting agreement on this last, the parents left.

\----------

The host club was just leaving the main hall and heading back to the Third Music Room to change out of the many layers of ruffles that went into Italian Renaissance costumes when the twins started to tease Tamaki with photos of Haruhi from their photo shoot on Saturday.

“How could you be dressing up my darling daughter without me?” wailed Tamaki.

Honey, Mori, Chika and Satoshi all walked behind the ‘devil’ twins and their weeping president, with Mori, Satoshi and Satoshi’s Shinai between Honey and Chika. The elder pair was going to Ouran University next year but they stuck around for the fair and they would still spend some days at the club. While the younger pair was a new addition to the club. It worked because Kyouya had blackmailed Honey and Chika into behaving around the customers and Mori and Satoshi worked hard to keep the peace.  
The shadow king interrupted a cry of “Evil twins!” from Tamaki by asking Haruhi,

“How did they convince you to do a photo shoot?”

“I didn’t have any say,” she replied with a hint of darkness in her voice. “My dad, Mrs Hitachiin and the twins dragged me.”

At this point Tamaki had grabbed a few of the photos, “Oh, how grown up my daughter looks. So beautiful, I can’t wait for her wedding day! Imagine her in white all day and wrapped in white sheets on her wedding night!”

“Pervert!” cried the twins and both their fists and a shinai landed, smack on Tamaki’s head. He slumped to the floor unconscious and Mori reached to pick him up.

“Don’t waste your energy, Takashi” commented Honey darkly, “he deserves it, we don’t let people say things like that about Haru-chan.”

That’s how Mori ended up dragging Tamaki along when they ran into their parents just outside of the Third Music Room. 

“We were looking for you” came simultaneously from all the parents. Which given the last Ouran Fair was a very chilling thing to hear. Tamaki having just regained some consciousness slumped right back over. 

\----------

Current Stats

None of the Host Club knows what their parents have in store.


	2. The Game is On

At the end of Haruhi’s second Ouran Fair all of the host’s parents ‘just happened’ to run into them outside of the Third Music Room. If Haruhi wasn’t suspicious enough Ranka babbled about taking her to dinner throughout the time it took her to get changed. Then he dragged her past a hall full of stunned hosts and waving parents. She attempted to bow at them all but Ranka pulled her backwards so quickly it was all she could do to remain on her feet.

It wasn’t until they were seated at a restaurant near their apartment and fresh ramen was in front of them that Ranka figured out how to breach to topic. He wanted his daughter to fall in love without pressure from the others but it didn’t mean she would ever do so without being clued in first.

“Haruhi, have you ever thought about marrying someday?” he asked. With anyone other than Haruhi this wouldn’t have been a subtle enough approach. She still choked on her noodles in surprise.

“What?”

“I mean at the Host Club you’re surrounded by all these young girls who are only at Ouran to find rich husband to add to their rich families, it must have crossed your mind.”

“Not really, I don’t think about any of those rich bast- boys that way, besides they probably wouldn’t want to have commoner in the family. So it never really crossed my mind.”

‘Good’ thought Ranka, ‘She’s not in love with that blond idiot.’

\----------

Each of the hosts had been drawn aside as soon as Haruhi left. The four corners of the third Music Room were taken up by the Haninozuka and Morinozuka families, the twins had been dragged to either side by their parents and from the windows the words ‘niece’ and ‘daughter’ came over and over. ‘So this is about Haruhi,’ thought Kyoya.

“Hurry up and get changed, we’ll talk in the car,” ordered Mr Ootori.

‘Great’ Kyoya thought has he adjusted the tie for his school uniform, ‘a set amount of time with my father.’

Once in the car Yoshio Ootori laid out his plan for his son. Explaining that all of the hosts were to compete for Ranka’s approval and Haruhi’s love throughout the next year.

“It shouldn’t be much of a challenge for you. Fujioka doesn’t like Suoh’s son, those twins won’t want to compete against each other, and as for the Haninozukas and Morinozukas, well the elder boys won’t be spending as much time with her anymore and she’s only known the younger ones for a year. You have the advantage.”

“I will use it,” Kyoya promised his father.

\----------

Back in Music Room Three, Mr Hitachiin pulled his son aside.

“Hikaru-” he began.

“I’m Kaoru,” his son replied. 

After an apology to his son and a look to confirm with his wife who must have had Hikaru across the room, he began again. This sadly common mistake made him Kaoru’s benefactor, rather than Hikaru’s. He went on to explain the situation in his soft voice. By the time he was done Kaoru could hear his mother and brother yelling, though he couldn’t make out the words.

Kaoru started this time, “I couldn’t-”

“You know son,” Mr Hitachiin cut in with a small smile, “I don’t think you know this, but I asked your mother out before she made a move.”

This gave Kaoru some small hope.

“You go get her,” his father said.

\----------

A few hours later the hosts, with the exception of Haruhi, were on a conference call.

“How could they be taking my darling daughter away so soon?” Tamaki cried into the phone.

“How do you know she’ll be taken from you?” asked Kaoru.

“Come on, you know she will be,” teased Hikaru.

“Don’t think we’ll let you touch our Haru-chan!” threatened Honey.

“Yah,” Mori agreed.

“You all know, I never lose,” slipped in Kyoya, in a tone that sent chill down their spines. “Well, goodnight,” and he hung up the phone. The rest of the hosts sat for a moment in terror at the image of their princess being stuck with the cold shadow king.

“We won’t let him win this time,” announced Chika.

“It wouldn’t be honorable,” agreed Satoshi.

“But” added Hikaru, “We’re still working every man,”

“For himself,” finished Kaoru.

\----------

Normally mail wasn’t delivered on Saturdays. This was more proof that they were all rich bastards. There was an invitation to a kendo tournament from Mori and an identical one from Satoshi, a cake for Honey and a dozen red roses from Tamaki. Yorihisa Haninozuka and Akira Morinozuka had sent summons to the Haninozuka dojo, and there was a package of the photos from a week ago, that came with a pleading note from Mrs Hitachiin, begging Haruhi to model again. A new dress came from Kaoru, and matching shoes from Hikaru. Even Chika and Kyoya had sent her things, a potted orchid from the former and a dinner invitation that may have been more of an order from the later.

All of that didn’t include the mail for Ranka and the other packages that had been arriving all week. The new roses joined others in pink and yellow that overfilled vases and glasses throughout the apartment. The orchids sat on the window sill in the kitchen. the clothes were put away and responses were sent to the invitations. Haruhi would attend everything, even a meeting to discuss her payment as she began her career as a model, though that one was because she couldn’t think of a polite way out.

As she began to tidy up Haruhi wondered idly if the hosts had coordinated their gifts because no invites overlapped and she now had an outfit to wear to dinner with Kyouya. Haruhi left the photos of her and her father and all of his mail on the table.

Once Ranka had awoken and cleaned himself up, he found the stack of mail. The squeals and growls he emitted while going through it could be heard by all their neighbours. 

“More roses and chocolates, these boys don’t know when to stop!”

“Oh, Haruhi, please tell me you’re modeling again, please!”

“That scum bag, thinking he can win me over with a few insincere phrases.”

Then “Oh My! Darling look at this! Its the green dress!” Ranka ran to find Haruhi, then posed holding up a tight green dress with ruffled cap sleeves that he knew would hide the manly size of his shoulders. Then he proceeded to dance around in front of his daughter, who barely looked up from scrubbing the toilet.

Ranka declared, “Hikaru is doing well.”

“Did he send you that dress?” aske Haruhi. After Ranka replied with an enthusiastic yes she added, “Then there are probably matching shoes from Kaoru.” This sent Ranka scurrying back to check. His squeal of delight confirmed her previous statement.

“That four points each,” said Ranka, thankfully the always oblivious Haruhi didn’t even notice.

\----------

Current Stats

1/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kaoru, Hikaru: 4  
Chika, Satoshi, Honey, Mori, Kyoya: 0  
Tamaki: -25

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-No one, yet

In the lead: Tied, Hikaru and Kaoru Hitachiin


	3. A Gentle Punch

“You have to stop,” Haruhi said the next monday after school. She was annoyed, having spent all day being hounded by the hosts (well mostly Tamaki and the twins) about the various gifts and cards they had been sending non stop. “The postman had to make two trips up the stairs on Saturday and my father’s reactions woke one of our neighbours. Besides its a little wasteful to send all of that stuff for no reason.”

“You didn’t like our gifts?” wailed Tamaki, heartbroken and dragging himself off to a corner to sulk.

A Haruhi was off trying to cheer Tamaki back up before customers arrived the twins turned to each other.

“No reason?” asked Hikaru.

“She’s still kinda clueless, huh?” added Kaoru.

“Of course, Haruhi has always been blind to everyone else’s affection for her,” cut in Kyoya.

“So are you going to share any of your plans Kyoya-senpai?” Chika inquired.

Kyoya replied in his trademark tone, (possibly literally trademarked) sounding both cool and coy, “Well the Host club does need a summer trip.”

\----------

The last day of school was here, exams were done and summer homework was being assigned. Honey and Mori were preparing for their graduation.

“Where is everyone this summer?” Tamaki asked.

“We’re moving into the city to be closer to the university and were going up north for a while to help retrain some of the Ootori group’s police force. Right Takashi?” answered Honey.

“Right, Yasuchika and Satoshi are coming too,” replied Mori.

“Well,” began Hikaru, “since you asked boss,”

“We’re working with Haruhi,” said Kaoru,

“All summer,” they finished together with devious grins, “and we get to dress her up.”

“What!?!” a flabbergasted Tamaki made the arm motions of a drowning man in fastforward.

“Yeah, Mrs Hitachiin really wants me to model, and it will pay way better than the job I had last summer in Karuizawa. So that’s what I’m going to be doing,” clarified Haruhi, looking like she already regretted the decision.

“And you're going to train with us a little,” said Chika.

“Yeah, our parents are convinced you need to know better self defense,” offered Satoshi.

“I’m not going to let you beat up my daughter!” Tamaki was wailing again, Haruhi figured the end of the school year had him in a bit of a state.

“Don’t be silly Tama-chan” chided Honey.

Mori said, “we’re protecting her.”

“From you,” added Satoshi.

“See he’s serious,” Honey giggled, “Takashi spoke in a whole sentence.”

“So is the Host club meeting over the summer?” Chika asked, changing the subject entirely in an attempt to learn Kyouya’s plan.

“Oh please, Kyoya we must,” begged Tamaki. “The beach again, or maybe my more local mountain home.”

“I have something planned already,” said Kyoya “but that will have to wait, its time for this year’s final session.”

The doors opened, “Welcome!”

The club was in their school uniforms and each had a notebook and a collection of pens, to sign things for the girls and to let the customers write messages to the hosts. Some of Honey’s fans were in tears over his leaving, and Mori had both arms full of gifts, for both him and Honey. Kyoya made sure to get the correct information from potential business contacts. Tamaki’s hand had cramped up from writing out so many love poems. It took an extra hour for the hosts to say their goodbyes and leave the school.

The whole club was hugely aware that for the last week none of them had made any real progress with Haruhi or Ranka. So all of the hosts, with the exception of Kyouya offered Haruhi a ride home.

The shadow king simply said, “I’ll pick you up at 7 tomorrow,” before flashing the other hosts a dark grin, pulling himself into his car and giving the word to send the driver speeding away.

The twins started pulling her towards their car at the same time Tamaki grabbed Haruhi’s other arm and started off towards his own ride. Chika and Satoshi swooped in to and saved her just before she would have been torn in two. She quickly found herself seated between the two of them and on her way home.

“We’re headed past your place anyways, since we’re both on our way to a Haninozuka dojo in town,” explained Chika “so it makes sense for us to give you a ride.”

“Would you like to come check it out?” asked Satoshi. “We’re teaching a fairly low level judo class.”

Haruhi replied, “Sure, could I stop and get changed first?”

“Of course, “ said Chika “If you don’t mind us using your bathroom, we could all change at your place.”

Just then, there was a very audible grumble form Satoshi stomach, “While we’re there, is there any chance we could get a snack?”

“We could have some fruit and tea,” offered Haruhi.

\----------

After they arrived Haruhi was in the process of preparing a plate of snacks when Satoshi came in.

“Let me help, so you can go get changed,” he said.

“You’ll probably be more helpful if you just sit outside of the kitchen with Chika,” replied Haruhi. At this Satoshi wrapped one arm around her to stop her preparing and reached out with the other hand and gently took the knife she had been chopping with from her hand. He let her go a slid in front of her, cutting and hulling strawberries with practised efficiency.

“All Morinozukas must be prepared to serve their masters in any way that could be required, so at the very least I can chop fruit. Go get changed,” Satoshi explained.

“Thanks,” was all Haruhi could muster.

Ranka he been in the kitchen when he saw the boys arriving with Haruhi. He wanted to see how they interacted with her when he wasn’t there. He wanted to be sure that they always treated her perfectly, even when he wasn’t around for them to impress. So he decided to attempt stealth and ended up hiding in the closet. From the view of the apartment between the crack in the closet doors, Ranka decided that kitchen skills had just earned Satoshi some major points.

Haruhi came back out in baggy sweats and a blue t-shirt, carrying a note telling her father where she was, and where to find the leftovers, in case she wasn’t back before dinner. Then they left, giving Ranka the chance to come out of the closet.

\----------

This was the smallest of their Tokyo dojos. It was probably three times the size of Haruhi’s apartment, rich bastards. It was a little more acceptable because is was also a business, but still property in Tokyo wasn’t cheap.

They arrived at the end of another lesson. Most of the students were stretching, one final pair was sparring, they were watched by a tall dark haired girl.

“Azusa-san!” cried Satoshi, waving vigorously. She stopped and told the pair sparring to stop, giving the match to the shorter of the two, before greeting Satoshi.

“Satoshi-kun, how is my favourite youngest cousin?” she asked. As Azusa and Satoshi launched into a conversation that contained a load of names Haruhi didn’t recognize, Chika explained that the family connections made Azusa Satoshi’s cousin but not his, even though they had all known each other since they were very young. Eventually Satoshi introduced her, they spoke briefly before Azusa had to dismiss her students. All Haruhi got to hear from the older girl was,

“Oh, Haruhi Fujioka, its a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard about you so very often.” Which was said with a wink at both Chika and Satoshi. Every now and then the Host Club was glad that Haruhi was still clueless.

Just moments after Azusa and her class had left students from the next class began to trickle in. Each student bowing low to Chika and Satoshi before going to warm up. Haruhi found a corner and sat herself down to watch.

There was a visible range of talent, even at an early level. Some of the students would have to repeat the same move a dozen times before it looked as good as another’s second try. Surprisingly Chika was very patient with the students, gently correcting their form and giving pointers, while Satoshi called out stances from the front. this was a bit of a shock to Haruhi who had once witnessed his near abuse of the karate club.

On their ride home Haruhi commented on Chika’s gentler way of dealing with his class. His reply was,

“Of course, the karate club is all at a level where I can push them, but beginners need encouragement if they are ever going to reach that level.” This comforted Haruhi about her upcoming training with the top two martial arts families in Japan.

Once they pulled up at Haruhi’s apartment both boys said goodbye and Satoshi called out, “See you at the dojo with _the_ masters on Tuesday,” which counteracted any comfort Haruhi had felt.

\----------

Current Stats

Nearly 2/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Satoshi: 8  
Kaoru, Hikaru: 4  
Chika, Honey, Mori, Kyoya: 0  
Tamaki: -25

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-She still doesn’t know any of the Hosts think of her as anything but a friend.

In the lead: Satoshi Morinozuka


	4. Kyoya's Plan

Saturday evening at 6:55, the doorbell rang. Ranka rushed to open it.

“Good evening Ranka-san,” Kyoya said with a bow.

“Polite and a little bit early, and so very charming, 5 points,” gused Ranka. “Do come in.”

Kyoya stepped inside and slid off his shoes. Ranka lead him inside the apartment.

“Just wait here, I have to make sure she’s decent,” said Ranka before dashing off to Haruhi’s room.

As Kyoya straightened his tie and adjusted his glasses he could hear Ranka and Haruhi arguing.

“Now this won’t do, you aren’t decent at all.”

“What do you mean, I’m wearing a dress.”

“Just you wait here,” Ranak said to Haruhi. Back in the living room “She’s not ready,” to Kyoya.

“Yes I am,” Haruhi called back out.

“Don’t you dare leave your room looking like that,” Ranka shrieked, rushing back out from his room with an armload of make up. Than followed muffled sounds of protest and lots of “hold still”s and “just open your eyes, now close” from Ranka. Next was the rushing back and forth between the rooms for hair clips and spray, more protesting and Ranka coming back out to to grab some of the remaining roses from a glass. Five minutes later Ranka finally let Haruhi out of her room.

She was in a Hitachiin original, a pink dress with a modest V-neck and sheer pink cap sleeves, the skirt floated down just past her knees and its slight volume barely hid the slit that went dangerously high up the side. The shoes were clearly Hitachiin as well. Warm brown leather made up Mary Janes with stiletto heels and slightly oversize buckles. Ranka had done her makeup to match, warm brown to bring out her chocolate eyes and a matching pink on her lips. there was a twist in the side of her hair, and Ranka had pinned pink rose buds into it. The precise style of the outfit was a little lost on Kyoya but the high price and the way everything fit Haruhi perfectly -emphasising her slight curves and clear skin- was not.

“You look beautiful,” he said, quite sincerely.

Ranka said, “Now you have her back at a reasonable time and don’t try anything. Have fun on your date.”

“We’re not-” Haruhi began, but Ranka had already pushed the pair out of the door.

\----------

When they arrived at the restaurant the outside of the building had only posted the name and the michelin star rating, as if any more would turn the front into a billboard, or something equally cheap and crass. Haruhi was apprehensive, even though Kyoya’s note had said he was paying, the same way he had said she was to wear something nice. He opened the door for her and simply nodded when the Maitre’ D automatically began to escort them to a reserved table.

“It’s a pleasure to have you as always, Mr Ootori,” the server said, pulling out their chairs for them. Moments later drinks arrived and Kyoya ordered for them. Haruhi would have been upset at this presumption but she hadn’t seen a menu and she heard him ask for fancy tuna. They chatted politely about their exams and their summer plans. Kyoya had a business trip planed to the Mayo clinic and she was modeling and studying. then the food began to arrive. It wasn’t until after Haruhi had eaten her fill of tuna that Kyoya dared to bring up his other summer plans.

“Are you available later this summer, say for the third week?” Kyoya asked.

“Yeah, I can make sure not to book any shoots then,” Haruhi replied, “Why?”

“The Host Club summer trip is then,” Kyoya responded.

“Oh, where are we going?” she wondered.

“Fiji.”

“I’m making more money this summer but I’m not spending it on that, and I don’t have a passport”

Kyoya reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a passport along with a travel itinerary and plane tickets. “Don’t look so panicked Haruhi, I owed you and I always pay my debts. The trip is covered by the Host Club.”

“You owe me?”

“Yes, you signed a contract to pay off your debts to the Host Club saying that the monetary value of your work would automatically go to the club bank account and would then be counted as your income that was automatically transferred to paying off your debt. The contract holds throughout your time at Ouran. So since you have no debt to transfer to money to, the Host club now owes you a tidy sum. We’ll have to void the contract later, but first our debt must be cleared,” he explained.

Haruhi was shocked at this, Kyoya Ootori, the shadow king was in her debt because he had forgotten to void a contract over a year ago. He must have planned this, some how paying her must benefit him. He would never do such a thing otherwise. Still she couldn’t find the merit for him.

“Fine,” she said accepting the tickets and flipping open the passport, it held her school photo.

“No protest?” he wondered.

“Not when its you and money.”

“Smart”

Dessert came and they talked about their trip to Fiji. The first five days would be just the club, the last two would be open for customers. Kyoya got the bill and they left.

\----------

Pulling up at her apartment just before 10, Ranka opened the door to greet them. “Did you have a nice date? Was he a perfect gentleman? Are you going on the trip?”

“You knew about- “ began Haruhi, but she was cut off by Kyoya.

“The food was wonderful and Haruhi agreed without a fuss,” he said.

Ranka proceeded to babble to himself about getting Haruhi a new wardrobe for the trip, going through shoes, swimsuits and dresses in great detail. Kyoya and Haruhi ignored him, otherwise they would have heard the mention of twenty some points.

“Thank you for a wonderful meal Kyoya-senpai,” said Haruhi.

“No more senpai Haruhi, we’ve known each other long enough, don’t you think?” ventured Kyoya.

“Alright, Goodnight Kyoya” Haruhi replied.

Kyoya responded with a slight bow, “Goodnight Haruhi, Mr. Fujioka.”

As his car was pulling away Kyoya sent a text.

_To: Hikaru H & Kaoru H_

_Nice dress, she looks good in pink._  
 _-KO_  
\----------

Current Stats

2/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 25  
Satoshi: 8  
Kaoru, Hikaru: 4  
Chika, Honey, Mori: 0  
Tamaki: -25

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-Well, now she’s been on a date she didn’t know was a date… so no one, yet.

In the lead: Kyoya Ootori


	5. The Host Clan

Haruhi should have figured that the maniacs that were the Host Club wouldn’t let her sleep in, not even on the first Sunday Morning of her summer break. At least she figured it was one of the Host Club that was pounding on her door, since her father was out. Sure enough, when she opened the door it was the Hitachiins.

“Haruhi!”

“Haruhi, you gotta see this!” 

“What?” she replied, bleary eyed and grumpy.

“This!” replied Kaoru as Hikaru shoved a magazine in her face. It was open to a double page spread of her and her father posed on white amid studio lighting and columns of text. She was wearing the pink dress the Hitachiins had given her after that very same shoot. Then Kaoru produced another magazine, this one lacking the glossy photo finish of the fashion magazine but still, there she was on the cover. The title read, “New Model has Caught the Young Ootori”, the photo was of her with Kyoya, in the very same pink dress.

Haruhi’s response was nearly as flat as a can of coke that had been sitting in the sun all day, “I’m in the news?”

“Yeah, and its bad!”

“They’re gonna find out you’re a girl!”

“Don’t they just think I’m some model? That’s not a problem because I am, and so what if Kyoya is seen with some model?” She replied.

“Oh,”

“Ok.” and a few moments later, “Haruhi, we kinda left in a rush,”

“So we didn’t get breakfast...” was said with big puppy dog eyes that might have given Honey a run for his money.

“Fine, come in,” said an exasperated Haruhi, what she thought was ‘its too early in the morning to have to deal with this, good thing I stocked up on instant coffee.’  
\----------

“We need a name!” announced Yuzuru Suoh at the beginning of the next parent’s meeting. “Something better than ‘The Parents of the Ouran High School Host Club, Who are on a Mission to Marry Haruhi Fujioka to One of their Sons.’”

“Ooh, something shorter and with more flare,” said Yuzuha Hitachiin.

“Something with more punch,” jested Akira Morinozuka.

His wife caught on right away, “Yes it needs a little more kick.”

“More glitz” offered Ranka.

“Is it not enough for you Suoh, to have five of the most powerful families in Japan all in one room, in your school, while you're wearing a badge that says ‘Chairman’?” asked Yoshio Ootori.

“No, we need a name, Director” replied Suoh at the same time Mrs Haninozuka teased “I thought you we’re going to suggest a name with better marketability.”

“Director?” wondered Ootori.

“Yep,” replied Suoh with the grin he and his son shared, “I’m the Chairman and you’re the Director.”

Ootori conceded “Alright, Chairman. Lets pick a name quickly and get on to the real business.”

“Parent’s club?” offered Mr Haninozuka.

“Makes me feel old,” replied Mrs Hitachiin with a shake of her head.

“Well if our sons are all the Host Club then we are the Host’s Family,” suggested the Chairman.

“Not Family, too soft,” said Mr Morinozuka, “How about Host’s Clan?”

“Good enough, let’s move on,” declared Yoshio Ootori, who was getting exponentially more annoyed at every passing, wasted moment. In an attempt to close the discussion completely he said, “I’ll report first, Haruhi and Kyoya went on a date. What have your sons been up to?”

“Well, she wore a Hitachiin Original on that date.” supplied Yuzuha.

“Chika-” began Mrs Haninozuka

“-and Satoshi” cut in Mrs Morinozuka

“Took her to a class of theirs.” finished Mrs Haninozuka.

“And She’s training with our sons over the summer.” added Mr Haninozuka.

“Oh, and she’ll be modeling for my new line.” interjected Mrs Hitachiin.

“Then there is the Host Club trip to Fiji,” said Ranka, “Haruhi even agreed to go.”

“Nothing to report Suoh?” mocked Ootori. The Chairman just hung his head. “So on to the next order of business, Fujioka, I believe you have a report.” 

“Yes,” said Ranka and with a flourish he wheeled out a stand and chart paper. The paper listed the nine Hosts across the top and had broken the year into fortnights, along the side. The first row read Mitsukuni: 0, Yasuchika: 0, Hikaru: 4, Kaoru, 4, Satoshi: 8, Takashi: 0, Kyoya: 25, Tamaki: -25. Ranka went on to explain that he would evaluate the Hosts by giving them points, and that each Host would have to earn 50 points to be given his approval to marry Haruhi. Upon having the system explained to him Yoshio Ootori’s face read that he was proud of his son, but if anyone had pointed it out he would have denied it.

\----------

After the meeting Yuzuru Suoh was deep in thought, not about the fact that his son was decidedly behind, and not about the dates that had been set for Haruhi to have dinner with each of the families, but about how disjointed their meeting had been. The Host Club didn’t act like that, sure they argued but they didn’t jump about frantically. Ok, so they did jump about frantically, both literally and in changes in attitude, but when they did so it was friendly and familiar. That’s where the difference was, ‘The Host Clan’ (that was an awkward name) all had one shared goal but that same goal pitted them against each other, instead of bringing them together. It made him sad, to think that all this ‘club’ would do was drive away people who could become the most powerful friends, Suoh would have to try taking a leaf from Ootori’s book and making a devious sort of plan…

\----------

Current Stats

2/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 25  
Satoshi: 8  
Kaoru, Hikaru: 4  
Chika, Honey, Mori: 0  
Tamaki: -25

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-She’s currently to busy being annoyed at the loss of her Sunday Morning to feel lovingly towards anyone.

In the lead: Kyoya Ootori- because she knows he’ll still be asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently at a point in the writing where I'm not sure which Host will win. I have a couple different endings in mind but no real preference between them, so let me know If there is a real favourite of yours and it might just turn out that way.
> 
> Also, sorry about the quality of this chapter, I'm having a harder time than I thought I would writing the parents.


	6. An Open Fist

The Sun rose bright and early Tuesday morning, and Haruhi with it. Boy, was she nervous. the only time Haruhi had seen Honey’s father was two weeks ago at the school fair. He had looked nice enough, but Honey had warned her, “Sometimes, he’s really scary,” and Mori had nodded his agreement. Plus it was said that he was the best fighter ever born, until Honey that is. Haruhi was pretty sure that beginners usually didn’t start with the best in the world.

This line of thought was getting her no where, she was just working herself up. So, being level headed, Haruhi stopped worrying and forced herself to think about all the chores that needed doing before she left.

Haruhi was dusting her mother’s old law textbooks when Mori knocked on the door

“Ready?” he asked.

“Umm… I guess so,” Haruhi was pretty sure she had never sounded so unsure in her life. Mori noticed and placed a large comforting hand on her shoulder.

\-----------

When they arrived Mori lead her through the Haninozuka mansion towards the sound of laughter. When they entered the dojo the raucous laughter was joined by the sound of grunts and skin hitting skin. There was a crunch of bone that made Haruhi flinch. Looking around she found the source of the laughter, Satoshi was rolling back and forth on the mat, holding his sides. Just beyond him was a rolling mass of limbs, with flashes of white pants and light hair. Beside that was an older version of Mori, laughing lightly as he called points and fouls.

“We’re here,” Mori announced, he had to raise his voice to be heard over his brother’s hooting. it was strange to hear Mori’s soft, low voice turned booming, but it got everyone’s attention. Honey was the first to drop out of the cloud of kicks and punches, landing with a wide smile and throwing himself at her and Mori. With his arms latched around her neck Honey said,

“Now all the best people are here! Did you have a nice ride Takashi?”

“Mmm” Mori replied with a little nod.

By this point Chika and Mr Haninozuka had stopped fighting as well, Chika was standing defiant in his now broken glasses, that he couldn’t see out of in the first place and Mr Haninozuka stood nursing his had, two of the finger’s were swelling rapidly.

When Satoshi came down from his giggles a moment later he explained, “They all entered the room at the same time and watching the three of the fight, its hysterical.”

“All entered at the same time?” Haruhi asked.

“Yep, because every time Haninozukas meet, they have to engage in combat,” offered Honey with a giggle, then like an after thought,”expect for at the dinner table, ‘cuz then mom beats us with the silverware.”

“Shall we begin?” the older, bearded version of Mori turned to ask his friend and master. Mr Haninozuka responded with a nod at Satoshi.

“Satoshi, place all your weapons in the corner,” Akira ordered. Haruhi was shocked at how many weapons could be hidden in one pair of kendo pants, and a belt. She supposed that was what all the pleats were for. It was a full minute later that Mr. Morinozuka ordered his son, “Attack Fujioka, gently.”

“What?” Haruhi spluttered

“Well, we have to gage your skill and potential somehow” responded Mr Haninozuka.

As Satoshi approached her Haruhi called out, “I can never remember, do you never punch with your fist open or closed?”

This cause everyone else to burst out laughing, in truth Mori gave more of a chuckle. Satoshi doubled over laughing, dropping his guard in the process. Not knowing what to do Haruhi struck out, a poorly formed fist connecting with the side of Satoshi’s face. Years of training kicked in and Satoshi, caught unaware turned to kick out a Haruhi, realising his target at the last second he pulled back on the blow as much as he could. Haruhi went flying, landing hard on her backside.

By the time Haruhi had gathered the breath that had been knocked out of her, Mori was by her side medical kit in hand and worried expression on his face.

“May I?” he asked, reaching for her side, where Satoshi's foot had connected.

As she nodded she could hear an endless stream of apology coming from Satoshi and could see the wicked glee in Chika’s eye as he went to retrieve Satoshi’s shinai from the corner and whack him with it.

Mori’s hand on her ribs caused her to flinch. He gave her a look of apology as he gently pressed his fingers to her side, after a flash of pain he moved away.

“Nothing cracked or broken, just bruised,” he said looking relieved. Fishing around in the bag beside him he pulled out a tub of some kind of cream and asked “May I?” again.

Haruhi nodded then panicked for a moment as he began to draw up the side of her shirt. Realizing his intent she relaxed again until he began to rub in the cream into the worst bruise she had ever had.

Mori found himself too concerned with Haruhi’s health to realise what he was doing until he had to pull her shirt up just past the bottom of her bra in order to reach the edge of her bruise. For a brief moment he hesitated, thinking of all the things the other hosts would say if they were here. The brief venture into his imagination of screams and wails of “my daughter” and “you pervert” were enough to make him infinitely grateful they weren’t here but nothing was enough to stop the colour rising to his cheeks as he ran his fingers over her ribs.

\----------

Despite Mori’s entirely silent protests Haruhi was back up and standing opposite Chika a few minutes later. Then she was sitting on the floor again, this time with a split lip.

The topical numbing agent in whatever cream Mori had applied before had worked its magic and the pain of a split lip wasn’t enough to distract from the feeling of Mori’s fingers pressing the sharp sting of an antiseptic to her lip. She wasn’t sure why, but when he ran his fingers along her lower lip, checking for damage to her teeth she blushed. Mori wouldn’t look her in the eye.

Across the room Honey was yelling at Chika, calling him a huge list of words and names anyone would be shocked to hear that the sweet looking host knew. Chika was defending himself, poorly. Mr Haninozuka suggested that she start with open handed strikes before she hurt herself.

“That’s all for today, I know where to start now.” Yorihisa Haninozuka declared. “Next Tuesday we’ll really begin, Haruhi.”

“Yes, Master.” She replied with a bow before Mori lead her back out to the car.

\----------

Upon Haruhi opening to door back home, Ranka exploded at Mori. Yelling about beating up his daughter. Mori dealt with it the same way he dealt with Tamaki, putting one hand out to stop the failing and helping Haruhi by with the other.

“Stop, Dad!” Haruhi yelled, to be heard over her father’s cries, “This is all from training, Mori-senpai is the one who patched me up!”

“Really?” asked Ranka, suspicious.

“Yes” sighed Haruhi, as Mori nodded his head. “He cleaned me up and helped me back home.”

“Hmmm, caring and first aid skills, 10 points” Ranka had replied. Haruhi didn’t hear him, she had turned away and was making tea already.

\----------

The next day, after a hectic call to Yuzuha Hitachiin to explain that she had a split lip and a few bruises, Haruhi limped her way into her first professional modeling shoot. She was sore all over, her backside was sore from landing on it twice, her face was sore from being punched, her side was sore from being kicked, even her hand was sore from her sloppy punches.

Mrs Hitachiin bounced up to Haruhi, “Hi darling, you poor thing, your face really doesn’t look to good. It must hurt. Its a good thing we have you on the new line of shoes today. Also, everyone at work calles me Yuzuha, so from now on you do the same. Were over this way.”

By the end of the day Haruhi had been in 34 different outfits to go with 27 different pairs of shoes, even though all the photos were of her feet and legs. Her back was sore from the different poses she had been made to hold, her side was worse from constantly lifting and lowering her arms to change clothes, her feet were sore from all of the high heels and her eyes hurt from the bright studio lighting.

Not being one to complain Haruhi still called Mori to ask the kind of cream he had used yesterday on her bruise, before she took an aspirin and went to bed.

\----------

Current Stats

2.5/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 25  
Mori: 10  
Satoshi: 8  
Kaoru, Hikaru: 4  
Chika, Honey: 0  
Tamaki: -25

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-She’s currently has, one dinner date, one nurse, five annoyances, and one loli boy, but no lover.

In the lead: Kyoya Ootori- because Ranka wants him to father his grandchildren.


	7. Two Dinners

By the end of that week Haruhi had done two more photo shoots, and this time the twins were at all of them. Dressing her up over and over, just like they had promised Tamaki. Haruhi was also eternally in debt to Mori and highly annoyed at him. He had sent her more of the cream he had used to relieve her bruises, and that was the only thing that kept her from wanting to cut off her own feet to relieve the pain of eight inch heels, but he had also told the other Hosts that Haruhi was accepting mail again, and a flood of gifts began to pour in once again.

Ranka was thrilled by the mail, which included an influx of roses and shoes. Some how each of the host club families had sent her an invitation for dinner next week. She wasn’t sure why they all wanted to meet her, but the need for new fancy clothes slightly lessened Haruhi’s annoyance with the twins constant sending of new fancy clothes.

The first chance she had to use her new wardrobe arose when Kyoya sent a note in the mail saying he would be back from his business trip by then and would like to meet for another dinner on Saturday night. Haruhi accepted and just crossed her fingers he didn’t have another surprise up his sleeve like her suddenly having a passport.

\----------

Saturday night came and Kyoya picked her up promptly, just like the last time. Ranka fussed over her appearance, just like the last time. But unlike the last time Haruhi refused to wear shoes with heels. She was absolutely through with those.

This time they ended up at a restaurant that specialized in crab, and Haruhi got the chance to try five different kinds of the sea creature. The rest of the Host club wouldn’t have believed that their eternally practical commoner, and their shadow king had engaged in a very lively debate about the best kind of crab. That was something frivolous rich kids would do, that is to say, everyone else at Ouran. The club would have figured Kyoya would only eat what he deemed the best in the first place and Haruhi wouldn’t care what kind of crab she was eating, but the one luxury she really appreciated was food.

After the crab debate they discussed Haruhi’s summer so far, she shared her new hatred for shoes with any kind of heel and they had a chat about the effectiveness of various anesthetic creams. Kyoya promised to send her a different variety of medication after her next martial arts lesson. Then they talked about Kyoya’s trip to the Mayo clinic, about the business of western medicine and some of the differences in the medical laws between the US and Japan. Kyoya had compiled a folder for her of the funniest thing people had sued Hospitals for in the US. They even went on a brief tangent about recreational park laws, in the US if you got into a pool and you couldn’t swim, and then you drowned your family could sue, in Japan if you got into a pool and couldn’t swim, it was your fault. Kyoya thought that the Japanese law was more financially sound since it would decrease your risk as the pool owner and Haruhi thought it was funny and kind of sad that Americans would sue someone else over not being able to swim.

Kyoya much to his surprise found himself laughing along with Haruhi and admitting to the nicer qualities of snow crab. It hadn’t been part of the plan, to enjoy his time with Haruhi this much, but it was certainly and nice perk.

Haruhi realized sometime during all of this that she really enjoyed talking to Kyoya. He was sharp and opinionated and she even found herself laughing had his dry humour.

By the time they arrived back at Haruhi’s apartment they were laughing outright at the remembrance of some of Tamaki’s dumber plans. This would have shocked the club even more, their aloof, cool type and their cute, cool type in such hysterics.

By the time the evening was done they had both agreed to meet again for dinner, after they got back from Fiji and Ranka was babbling about points and about his future grandchildren.

Kyoya was so caught up he didn’t remember to send his text until he was fifteen minutes away from Haruhi’s house.

_To: Hikaru H and Kaoru H_

_I don’t think the shoes matched, but she looks good in dark blue too_  
 _-KO_

\----------

Monday night was Haruhi’s next chance to dress up and before she left she got a text.

To: Haruhi F

_When you’re out tonight, WEAR THE SHOES!_  
 _-HH &KH_

She figured that they were serious enough to contact Kyoya and ask if she did, so Haruhi went back to her room and found the shoes they had sent to match her black and white, geometric print dress.

Kyoya’s father had arranged this dinner, so a driver came to pick her up. Haruhi found that rich people’s enormous cars felt strangely lonely, when you were by yourself.

Upon her arrival at the ultra modern Ootori mansion, a maid greeted her and lead her into a sitting room, where Kyoya was arguing with a young woman with dark hair.

“Oh, hello Haruhi, this is my older sister, Fuyumi,” Kyoya said with a pointed look at the dark haired woman even Haruhi couldn’t miss. Fuyumi politely asked about school, and Haruhi’s interests and all the while she and Kyoya continued their argument in a series of frowns and glares.

Dinner was much the same. Haruhi felt like she was being interrogated by Mr Ootori and then the quiet was left to be filled with Fuyumi’s never ending yet meaningless chatter. Kyoya said very little but Haruhi was immensely grateful when he caught her eye and began playing with the end of the correct fork as each course was served. At least dessert came with the spoon artfully sticking out of the parfait.

Some how she found herself taking a walk in the garden with Kyoya after dinner.

“I’m sorry about that my sister is a little over the top, but she’s been dying to meet you,” he offered. Haruhi was mostly surprised that Kyoya didn’t even think to apologise for the inquisition run by his father. After walking a little further he said, “You hate those shoes, right? So take them off.”

She was strangely touched that he remembered, then noticed and was ok with her wandering barefoot. Also there was no way she was going to pass up an opportunity to take of the torture devices strapped to her feet. In bending over, reaching out and lifting her foot all at the same time Haruhi began to topple over. One moment standing, the next moment falling, then caught mid face-plant, with Kyoya’s hand on her waist.

“You alright?” he asked. Haruhi found herself unable to do anything but nod. Really she was thinking ‘this is like a scene from a shoujo manga’. After that they made their way back to the front of the house, Kyoya helped her into a car and bid her goodnight.

Kyoya thought ‘that dinner could barely have been worse for my plans for Haruhi’, before acting on another of his plans.

_To: Hikaru H and Kaoru H_

_She looks good in black and white, the same way she looks good in my home._  
 _-KO_

Haruhi on the other hand didn’t know what to make of her two dinners with the Ootorii.

\----------

Current Stats

3/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 35  
Kaoru, Hikaru: 22  
Mori: 15  
Satoshi: 8  
Chika, Honey: 0  
Tamaki: -25

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-When Haruhi manages to be insightful, its never about how others see her, at least not so far.

In the lead: Kyoya Ootori- but the twins are gaining fast, because Ranka has a weakness for high end clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda slacked off on writing dialogue for this chapter, I was in a silent like Mori mood.


	8. Four Dinners

On Tuesday morning Haruhi packed clothes. On Tuesday afternoon Mori came by her house again, and they drove to the Haninozuka mansion. This lesson wasn’t as bad as the last one, probably because she didn’t have to spar against anyone. Haruhi was taught how to stand, how to hold her hands, how to step. It was still exhausting, which was not helped by the fact that she had to focus on her lessons and not Mr Morinozuka showing Satoshi a new pattern to practice with his shinai or Honey and Chika fighting on the other side of the room. When during a break in their fighting Chika commented on Haruhi’s good concentration, she wondered if that was part of her lesson.

On Tuesday evening, after hours of correcting her stance over and over, Haruhi was lead into a bathroom and left to freshen up with a brief apology about the current renovations in the guest bath. Looking around Haruhi quickly realised what that meant. The hand soap was shaped like bunnies and everything smelled of strawberries, she was in Honey’s personal bath. It was strange, using someone else’s bathroom to shower. Haruhi couldn’t help but picture Honey in the tub (which had little bunnies in the place of claw feet) covered in mounds of strawberry bubble bath. Coming out of the shower, smelling like strawberries, Haruhi got ready for dinner.

Haruhi was wondering the halls of the Haninozuka mansion, looking for someone to point her in the right direction when she ran into Chika.

“You.. ah you look… very cute, Haruhi-senpai,” Chika forced out, upon seeing her. She was in another Hitachiin original, white with a pattern of birds in flight wrapping diagonally around the dress.

“Its kinda confusing, if I’m studying under your family and that includes you but you’re calling me senpai, how about just Haruhi and Chika from now on,” she offered.

“Ok.” Chika agreed, then offered his arm “Shall we head to dinner.”

‘Gee’ thought Haruhi, ‘Host club boys never know when to stop Hosting.’

\----------

Arriving outside to find a dinner table set outside in the garden Haruhi was about to take the seat Chika offered her when Honey came flying out of nowhere and pulled her into a combination of a twirl and a hug.

“Haru-chan is so cute!” he cried and then leaning in so that no one else could hear he said softly, “and she smells like my shampoo.”

Even though this should have been evident, given that she was offered to use his bathroom to shower, hearing him mention it made her blush.

Just then the heads of the Haninozuka family arrived for their meal.

Mrs Haninozuka said with a smile, “Haruhi its such a pleasure to finally meet you, in person.” Haruhi could tell right away that Honay and Chika got their looks from their mother. Sure they had their father’s light hair, but they had their mother’s big, dark eyes and open smile. It was where they got the loli-boy part of their appearance.

“Pleased to meet you too, Mrs Haninozuka,” Haruhi replied.

Through out the meal Honey and Chika restrained themselves themselves from fighting, but at every chance to offer their opinion, they managed to disagree. Haruhi found that it made sitting between them quite uncomfortable. It got to the point that just before desert Chika suddenly found a fork sticking out of the table, millimeters from his right hand.

“If you say one more thing about your brother during dessert, you’ll have my _spoon_ in your hand, that goes for you too, Mitsukuni” declared Mrs Haninozuka, with shadows suddenly radiating from her once smiling face. Apparently she was where Honey got his dark look from too. So dessert came, Chika had green tea and Honey had an entire strawberry cake. Settling between the two, like the rest of the family Haruhi had a small piece of cake and some tea. Chika did as he was told and didn’t say anything, but he still shot his brother glares for the rest of their meal.

\-----------

The next day was spent at the studio, with a million lights, glaring in her face and too much eyeliner. Before they left for dinner the twins dressed her up for their meal together. She was in another pair of heels and a skirt short enough that they decided to send a photo to Tamaki, purely for the shock effect. He replied with a very Host king style text.

_To: Hikaru H and Kaoru H_

_\\(^0^)/ DON’T TOUCH MY DAUGHTER, YOU DEVILS!!!_   
_-Your King_

They teased her about Tamaki’s reply, and continued sending taunting messages to Tamaki until Haruhi lost it. The Host Club had agreed a little while ago that when Haruhi got really mad it was almost as scary as The Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord that Kyoya became when he was woke up early. Right then, she proved them right.

“If your don’t cut it out I will take the shoes you made me wear and use the heels to smash in your brains, I have two shoes and two of you!”

They quit after that. Quite possibly they were too afraid to speak to her because they babbled and burbled and chattered with their mother throughout the meal, and barely spoke to her. Haruhi’s respect for the quiet Mr Hitachiin grew.

Dinner was pizza, gourmet pizza of course, with three kinds of cheese Haruhi couldn’t pronounce. Mostly she was just glad that she could take off her shoes in their house, and that she wouldn’t have to worry about which fork to use.

The next time the twins really took notice of her all meal was when she tried to start a conversation with their father. Apparently it was ok for them to ignore their ‘toy’ but not for the toy to ignore the twins.

By the end of dinner Yuzuha was still chatting, Mr Hitachiin was still quiet, Haruhi was a little grumpy and the twins were full, having eaten seven pizzas between them. After that, the conversation switched to a remained feeding teenage boys.

\----------

Thursday night was dinner with the Morinozuka family. Haruhi wore flat shoes, and a simple dress with traditional patterns on a modern cut. Satoshi came to pick her up this time. Mrs Morinozuka was at the door to greet them when they arrived.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Haruhi,” she said, “I have to apologize, on Thursdays we have the rule that if you want to eat, you have to lend the staff a hand in making it. We tried to have you over on a different day, but we heard you were going to be busy.”

“That’s alright Mrs Morinozuka, I love cooking and would be happy to help out,” Haruhi replied, using her natural host smile to hide her surprise at the super rich Morinozuka family all in the kitchen working with their servants. She supposed that the Morinozukas were a kind of the exception, super elite servants of the super elite but it was still hard to picture.

Any difficulty Haruhi had imaging their family in the kitchen was replaced by the actual image of Mori and Akira Morinozuka chopping vegetables. There were two other servants in the kitchen, chefs preparing fresh noodles. One of the chefs and Mr Morinozuka were jokingly debating weather the best kind of knife was a carving knife or a throwing knife. Mori waved at her with a radish. Once Mrs Morinozuka and Satoshi took up their spots in the kitchen the picture was complete. Four tall and dark Morinozukas in white aprons, all looking slightly too comfortable holding a knife and two chefs, pulling noodles. They set Haruhi in charge of the stove, giving her a matching apron and a wooden spoon.

Together they made a noodle soup and a dish of fried fish. While Mrs Morinozuka made tea, Satoshi set the table and Mori served soup. They ate in relative quiet at first, until Satoshi had scarfed down enough food to breathe between bites. Then he began to crack jokes with his father and he got his mother to share a couple of stories about Mori growing up. Including one about the time he and Honey had saved an abandoned baby bunny. Then the family took turns showing off their knife skills and they all peeled oranges as quickly and artfully as possible, for their dessert. Haruhi split her’s open with her nails. Mrs Morinozuka spent the next few moments artfully arranging the peels beside her plate. She managed to make a tree with a swirling trunk, using the small bits Haruhi’s peel had turned into for the leaves.

When it was time to leave Mr Morinozuka held out two containers of food.

“We invited your father as well, but he said he was working late,” he explained, “so we prepared him extra portions.”

Haruhi thanked him, then she and Mori rode home in comfortable silence.

When Ranka came home and found the food and Haruhi’s note explaining it Ranka cried, “Points, points, points.”

Haruhi didn’t hear him, she was already asleep.

\---------

Friday night Tamaki and the Chairman showed up at Haruhi’s apartment bearing a total of four dozen roses and demanding that she show them where to get ‘real commoner’s food’. So they went out and had street food, largely because Haruhi was too embarrassed to be seen with them in any of the restaurants she liked. Then they ended up shopping with Tamaki and the Chairman pulling her all over the place. The evening was interrupted when her ‘uncle’ got a call from one of his staff,

“Yes… Yes…A meeting?... My mother……” at those words both he and Tamaki went cold, their massive smiles freezing in place on their faces, and Tamaki’s arms dropping down to his sides. Shortly after that Haruhi found herself in the back of their car, surrounded by cheap toys Tamaki had found, on her way home. They both gave a quick goodbye and left her, without any of their usual flare. It was suspicious enough that even Haruhi suspected something immediately. However as the car pulled away Tamaki still leaned out the window to yell,

“See you Sunday, in Fiji!”

\----------

Current Stats

Nearly 4/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 35  
Kaoru, Hikaru: 22  
Mori: 20  
Satoshi: 16  
Chika, Honey: 0  
Tamaki: -25

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-Some may have won her respect, but Haruhi still isn’t thinking about love.

In the lead: Kyoya Ootori -because Ranka likes glasses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was sorely tempted to have the Morinozuka family be carving up a whole wild boar, because they never did in the manga.


	9. To Fiji

Haruhi spent Sunday packing and preparing meals that Ranka could eat later. Ranka spent Sunday in a panic about Haruhi’s well being. He went arm failing and wind-milling and screeching back and forth about Haruhi leaving him, and about not being able to trusts that blond freak or those nasty twins with his innocent baby girl. It was the worst on Sunday evening, when the whole club showed up to take Haruhi to the airport. Surprisingly Ranka’s frenzy was calmed Chika.

“It would go against our family’s code and honor if we let anything befall Haruhi. She will be kept safe, even from the other hosts.” he promised Ranka. Mori and Satoshi nodded at this speech.

Honey asked, “Will that be enough Ranka-san?” using his loli-boy smile to create a path lined with charm and cute that lead to Ranka’s heart.

“I approve” Ranka managed, “Kyoya, keep me updated.”

“I will, Ranka-san.” he replied, having already made a note to do so.

\----------

All of the hosts had headed out to the car, taking Haruhi’s bags with them, except for Tamaki.

“What are you doing Senpai?” Haruhi called from the door.

“I’m paying my respect to your mother, and leaving the promise to bring you back safely.” he replied, not looking up from Haruhi’s family shrine.

‘Damn’ thought Ranka, ‘Why did that idiot have to go and be considerate. Now I have to reward him.’

\----------

“Yes, Hello Suoh” Mr Ootori answered his phone. “Of course I have access to the security footage…Yes I have the staff watching them… Yes, you’ll be updated, that was always the plan.”  
\----------

“How long is the flight?” Haruhi asked.

“Nine and a half hours,” replied Kyoya, without looking up from his little black book.

“Nine and a half hours?” repeated Haruhi, sounding shocked and panicked.

Sounding slightly annoyed Kyoya responded, “that's what I said.”

In an attempt to reassure her, Honey said, “Don’t worry Haru-chan, flying isn't scary.”

But Honey had mistaken her panic for fear of flying, when it was really fear at the idea of nine and a half hours, trapped in a small metal box in the sky with the Host Club. She could imagine it already, and it certainly wasn’t pleasant.

The first hour on the private plane was bearable. Probably because Tamaki and the twins basically just teased and insulted her about her reaction to the not-so-small private jet they would be flying in and Haruhi was used to their unintentionally rude treatment. Though to be fair, the Hitachiins had lent the club their jet for the trip and it was decorated in Mrs Hitachiins famous, dramatic style, which would cause anyone to gape.

The second hour was actually pretty good, because the plane was stocked with some fairly nice food. Honey ate four whole cakes.

The third hour met with the twins extreme boredom and Haruhi’s fears. Out of goodness only knows where Hikaru produced a bag full of makeup and he and Kaoru proceed to each sit on one of her hands as they attacked her face. This caused Tamaki to go into a two way mania. He was both worrying about the devils molesting his daughter and being excited that they were going to make Haruhi into the lovely young woman that she was. The only other responses give to the situation, and Haruhi’s muffled cries for help were a roll of Kyoya’s eyes and Honey saying, “But Haru-chan, you look so cute!”

The fourth hour’s drama came from Chika trying not to cry at the nature documentary they were watching on tropical birds, while the twins tried out yet another way to style Haruhi’s hair.

The fifth hour Kyoya fell asleep. Then Tamaki made the mistake of waking him, or rather, waking the Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord. No one wanted to make a wrong move or too much sound after that.

Four and a half hours later they touched down in Fiji. All sleepy, they stumbled from the plane to a car and from the car to the hotel. They had rented five rooms, four doubles and one single, for Haruhi. Despite the tiredness a fight ensued over who would get the room adjoining her’s.

Tamaki tried playing the father card, “A father shouldn’t have to be separated from his daughter, don’t you think Haruhi?”

“You’re not my father," it failed, as always, "and I don’t care who’s next to me because the connecting door locks from both sides, so it won’t be used anyway.” So in the end they just split into their usual pairs to sleep.

However before they could retire Tamaki gave a rather dramatic goodnight to everyone. Funnily enough the other big goodnight came from an overly tired Mori who leaned over and gave Haruhi a goodnight kiss on the head.

\----------

Going to change into her pyjamas Haruhi found only super girly clothes, the kind with pale pink ruffles. She was forced to sleep in a long, pink nightgown. Good grief, when on earth did Ranka find time to repack _all_ of Haruhi’s suitcase.

\----------

Current Stats

4/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 35  
Kaoru, Hikaru: 22  
Mori: 20  
Satoshi: 16  
Chika, Honey: 12  
Tamaki: 0

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-Haruhi is too worn out from her first time in a plane to care about love.

In the lead: Kyoya Ootori -Ranka is biased.


	10. Black Mornings

The whole club was in the hotel restaurant for breakfast, except for Haruhi. It was strange to have both the early risers, Mori and Tamaki, and the late risers, Honey and Kyoya together in the morning. They had all knocked on Haruhi’s door before they went downstairs and had been told, through the door that she would meet them downstairs.

A few minutes later a girl in a white and pink sailor style outfit came over to their table and pulled out the remaining chair, sitting herself down.

“What can we do for such a lovely young lady on this fine morning?” asked Tamaki in his kingliest voice.

“Senpai!” came Haruhi’s voice from the girl’s lips and a Kyoya style glare, from brown eyes. The twins cracked up, falling over and grabbing the table to keep themselves upright.

“What...on earth...are you wearing?” was forced out, between giggles.

“My father re-packed my bags and this was the only thing I could find that didn’t have any ruffles.” Haruhi replied, radiating black waves of anger. After the laughter subsided they each picked up one of Haruhi’s arms and carried her away from the table, up towards their rooms.

\----------

“I never thought I would be glad that two, pushy, rich boys packed me extra bags.” said Haruhi upon returning to the table. This time she was in shorts and a dark green top, neither of which had any ruffles of any kind, thought they were a little shorter and a little lower cut than she would have worn otherwise.

“Its a much better look for you” said Satoshi with a little smirk.

“Haru-chan, you have to try the fresh mango juice! Its so sweet!” Honey said, waving around a glass with a pink umbrella sticking out.

Kyoya finally looked up from his coffee, and stuck his face back in it right away, looking like he would happily kill someone for more sleep.

Haruhi having missed Kyoya’s expression, because she was busy ordering mango juice turned to him and said, “Kyoya-senpai, I’m surprised to see you awake this early.”

“The idiot woke me up” he replied, looking like caffeine was the very fine line between grumpy Kyoya and Low Blood Pressure Demon Lord.

“You know what,” said Honey with a big grin, “let’s switch rooms, so that the people who want to can sleep in!”  
This prompted a question, “Honey-senpai?” asked Kaoru.

“How are you so awake right now?” wondered Hikaru.

“Oh, the hotel has espresso flavoured cupcakes.” Honey replied. At this the rest of the club noticed that his usual flowers were doing high-speed twirls. ‘Oh,’ they collectively thought ‘caffeine high.’

\----------

After breakfast, the Hosts decided to move their stuff around, so that they could take Honey up on his suggestion for sleep style based pairings. While Kyoya moved his stuff into Honey and Mori’s room, Tamaki had a nice long freak out about having to share a room with Mori.

“I don’t get it boss,” began Hikaru.

“How come you were ok sharing a room with the shadow king, but not with Mori-senpai?” finished Kaoru.

“He’s so sotic,” replied Tamaki, hands to his face as if he had to hold on to it so that his eyes didn’t bug right out of his head, “Does he even sleep?”

“Don’t be more stupid, boss,” sighed Hikaru.

“You know how he gets when he’s tired,” said Kaoru.

Throughout that exchange Chika and Satoshi absolutely cracked up.

Mori interrupted the whole thing by saying “I will sleep on Mitsukuni's floor,” and walking away. It should have been the end of the conversation, but given the high levels of ridiculousness that the Host Club contained, it wasn’t. Tamaki proceeded to freak out about having to sleep alone.

\----------

They spent most of the day at the beach. The twins tried to convince Haruhi to put on a tiny bikini and go swimming with them, to no avail. Honey collected shells while Mori went snorkelling and communed with the fish. Satoshi was swimming too. Chika was reading a birding guide book to Fiji, looking around surreptitiously, to check that no one had heard him every time he let out an involuntary coo. Tamaki was wooing beach babes, and Kyoya took notes on everything.

\----------

The next morning Haruhi awoke, found a dress in the bags the twins had packed her that was a little longer than yesterday’s outfit and was downstairs for breakfast on time. Chika, Satoshi, Mori and Tamaki were all there too, but the twins and the ‘demons in the morning’ weren’t.

When the twins finally came down, it was later than Kyoya or Honey.

“Where are those espresso cupcakes?” mumbled Kaoru.

“And the coffee, need coffee,” grumbled Hikaru.

Once they had downed enough coffee, the club asked what was up with them.

“Well, some Baka was lonely sleeping by himself,” said Hikaru.

“So he decided to keep us up late, and wake us up early,” explained Kaoru.

At this point there was enough caffeine in their systems to wake up both them and their mischief.

With twin grins in place they said, “You know, we have a solution,”

“To our sleeping problem,”

“Let’s all have a ‘sleepover’ together!” they declared, in unison.

\----------

Back in Japan, Ranka was having a panic attack in the direction of a monitor.

“No, no no! You can’t all share a room with my daughter!”

The ‘Host Clan’ had decided to trade off shifts for when people would watch the security cameras Ootori had watching their kids in his Fiji resort. Ranka had been stuck with the misfortune of being the father, to the only daughter in a group of boys, and having to watch the sleepover shift. 

\-----------

Current Stats

Just over 4/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 35  
Kaoru, Hikaru: 22  
Mori: 20  
Satoshi: 16  
Chika, Honey: 12  
Tamaki: 0

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-Let’s find out.

In the lead: Kyoya Ootori -still, because when it comes to merit, Kyoya knows how to rake in the points.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this will be my last daily update for a little while. I have some other stuff that's come up that will get in the way of my updating. Also I think trying to crank a chapter out everyday is impacting the quality of the writing and is making the chapters shorter.
> 
> I will be back, with a 'sleepover' chapter soon(ish) though.


	11. The Sleepover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! (also wan't ever meant to be gone that long...) BUT there will be more updates, soon-ish... really I'm gonna try.

When Haruhi entered the room, all of the hosts were already there. Flopped over the king sized bed, the couch and the floor. Haruhi had never seen anyone sprawled on a sofa with good posture before, but Kyoya managed it with his back and neck aligned as one of his long legs hung over the arm of the couch and the other stretched out to rest on the floor. Mori and Chika had good posture too, both were seated cross legged next to their cousins.

\----------

While posture was the first thing Haruhi noticed, the first thing that Ranka saw from the grainy black and white image of the hidden cameras was the complete depravity. At least ‘complete depravity’ was what he yelled upon seeing the way the twins were seated. Somehow — likely due to boredom — Hikaru and Kaoru had decided to amp up the ‘twincest’ act and try it on Tamaki. They had him pinned in the middle of the king sized bed and were flirting relentlessly with him and each other. This really wasn’t shocking behaviour to anyone but Tamaki who alternated between anger and embarrassment and to Ranka who sat wailing at a screen about his daughter seeing such horrid and crude behaviour.

\----------

The first thing boys of the Host Club noticed was Haruhi’s pyjamas. She was in a thin white tank top, that was nearly see-through and tiny blue pyjama shorts — Ranka may have yelled ‘scandalous’. It didn’t help that she came into the room complaining about the fact that both her father and the Hitachiins had packed her new underwear and she couldn’t find anything comfortable to wear.

“So what are you wearing under there?” Hikaru asked. At the same time twisted smiles reached out over his and his brother’s faces, they had a better toy than Tamaki now.

“The blue silk pair I picked out, or maybe the pink thong Hika packed you?” Kaoru joined in the teasing. Not wanting their time playing with their favourite toy to be interrupted the twins had each placed a hand over one of Tamaki’s wrists, pinning his arms and hands over his mouth, stopping his voice.

Haruhi blushed red before pulling out and putting on an obstinate expression, “Maybe I’m wearing the granny knickers my father packed me.”

“Not likely that all that material would fit under those shorts,” Kyoya commented, with his usual tone of observation, “you probably had no choice but to wear a piece of Hitachiin lingerie.”

“Oooh, Kao-chan said that he packed a cute pair with bunnies! Are you wearing those?” Honey asked.

“Enough!” Chika burst out, red with embarrassment and outrage. “You horrible alien asking something like that!”

“I was just curious” Honey replied innocently, then not so innocently, “I know Chika-chan was curious too.”

“How dare you-” Chika was interrupted by a light smack to the head from Satoshi’s ever present shinai and Honey’s next response was cut short by Mori’s moving his hand to Honey’s shoulder in warning.

Realising their game was done the twins released Tamaki, who proceeded to take a couple of gasping inhales before yelling at the twins about suffocating him.

“Don’t panic boss, we didn’t cover your nose,” Hikaru responded.

“You wouldn’t be conscious right now if we had,” Kaoru added.

Tamaki sputtered and recovered turning to Kyoya a pleading, “Mommy, don’t let your children smother their father.”

“Well, our son Kaoru has a point. They didn’t actually intend to smother you, father.” Kyoya replied.

\----------

Back in Japan Ranka’s aura had turned darker than ink.

“How dare they say such things to Haruhi, and to suggest they had previously discussed her underwear!” Then followed a very graphic description of what Ranka would have to do to all of the boys, that may have involved gutting someone with a stiletto heel.

He settled down slightly when Chika stopped the conversation. Awarding him another handful of points. Then Ranka calmed down even further when Mori and Satoshi intervened as well, giving them further merit.

His anxiety began to build back up as soon as Tamaki opened his mouth.

\----------

“What kinds of games do commoners play at slumber parties?” Tamaki asked.

Haruhi barely suppressed an eye-roll.

“Oh, can we stay up late eating sweets?” Honey asked, bouncing in place with the anticipation of cake.

“You do that anyway on alien cake night!” Chika yelled back, “I’m not participating in your unnatural ali-” at this point Satoshi smacked him again.

Throughout Chika’s outburst Haruhi had been looking for a place to sit. She ended up on the edge of the bed, legs dangling over the overly tall side. This was a mistake.

“PILLOW FIGHT!” came as a battle cry from the twins and Haruhi was lost under a barrage of goose down and egyptian cotton.

\-----------

“How dare they put their hands on my daughter! Those beasts! Why I’ll- (quite a bit of creative language…) and I’ll tell their mother!” Ranka cried, threats already being fulfilled as he picked up the phone to call Mrs. Hitachiin.

At her eventual response of, “Cute!” Ranka slammed the phone back down, momentarily convinced that all Hitachiins were immoral.

\-----------

A muffled cry came from behind a king sized mound of pillows, “Mori - senpai!” But in that moment Mori was trapped behind another mountain — of cake boxes for Honey — and couldn’t come to the rescue.

‘Thunk... Thunk’ two identical knocks upside two identical twins from one long enduring shinai saved Haruhi.

\-----------

“More points to the saviour!” declared Ranka, having gotten over his Hitachiin slump and returned to adoring Haruhi’s various protectors. “Oh, and points for giving a girl chocolate cake.”

\-----------

“Thanks for sharing Honey-senpai,” said Haruhi, digging into a slice of triple layer chocolate cake. The rest of the club knew better than to ask if he would share, so it remained Haruhi and Mori sharing with Honey.

“What other activities do commoners do at sleepovers?” Tamaki inquired again.

“From my research it appears that there are a standard set of games played at these type of events, ‘Truth or Dare’, ‘Never Have I Ever’, and ‘Confession’ to name a few.” Kyoya offered.

Glancing at the twins Haruhi replied, “I am NOT playing truth or dare.”

“How about ‘Confession’?” Kyoya asked, his expression carefully neutral behind the glare off of his glasses. If the other hosts had known the game they would also have known that Kyoya picked the game that would guarantee the most blackmail material.

“How do you play?” asked Honey.

Haruhi offered the explanation, “everyone takes turns coming up with a subject and everyone has to confess something that fits, if they don’t their punished.” She paused to think, figuring Ouran students would understand her reference she said, “for example I would say ‘Confess which of the seven sins is your greatest sin’ and the next person would have to say ‘I confess, my greatest sin is gluttony’ or whatever they think their greatest sin is.”

“We get it, but what is the punishment?” demanded Kaoru.

“Let’s make it that if you refuse to confess you have to be the subject chooser’s slave for a day!” insisted Hikaru.

“It’s decided! Why don’t you start Haruhi?” they declared in unison.

Too lazy to think of another topic Haruhi said, “Confess which is your greatest sin.”

Hikaru began “I confess my greatest sin is lust”

“Is your lust for me really a sin, brother?” Kaoru wondered, staring deep into Hikaru’s eyes.

“YES!” wailed Tamaki. Kyoya cut in, and insisted Tamaki move beside him on the couch to make a better circle, for the sake of the game and getting him to shut up.

Kaoru went next, “Then my sin is lust too.” He had yet to break eye contact.

From a mouth full of cake, Honey said “I confess my greatest sin is gluttony.”

“Of course it is you alien!” Chika interjected, but he too was cut off, by Satoshi’s shinai.

“Wrath” said Mori, in a surprisingly dark tone.

“My brother is beyond sin!” declared Satoshi  
A frustrated Kyoya cut again, “no more interruptions!”

“I confess my greatest sin is sloth” said Satoshi.

Chika looked furious at this, “don’t be ridiculous!”

“If you’re rude enough to interrupt after our senpai’s insistence at no more interruptions than I can't be doing my duty well enough.” Satoshi responded.

“Just confess Chika and move on,” muttered the Shadow King.

Refusing to look up at anyone or anything Chika replied softly, “Envy.”

Tamaki began to rant about giving his daughter a bad impression of her dear father. Kyoya’s patience at run out and he said, “You mean vanity, now confess Haruhi.”

“Gluttony,” she replied, liking the last of her chocolate cake off of a fork. “Now you pick a topic Hikaru.”

Hikaru’s smirk turned to a bit of a leer, “Confess, who here — that you haven’t already been with — would you most want to have sex with?”

\-----------

Surprisingly Ranka had remained fairly calm up to this point. It didn’t last. Hair was pulled, Hitachiins were cursed, threats were made.

\-----------

“If I can’t choose you brother then it would have to be the host club princess.” Kaoru responded in his very flirtiest tone.

“Haru-chan” said Honey with a big grin.

Mori sat absolutely still, not moving a muscle and saying nothing.

“Confess,” Honey insisted.

“Haruhi…”

Satoshi took his time too before declaring that his interest would be in the natural type host.

 

Chika looked back and forth between Hikaru and Kyoya, looking for goodness knows what before he said, “I pass.”

Tamaki had another panic, “my daughter, my sons, my wife! How could you ask a father to choose?”

“I’m pretty sure that most father’s don’t ever have to choose that boss..” tried Kaoru.

Tamaki didn’t hear him, “I would have to pick my wife..I think.”

“I said that you hadn’t been with before, and unless your gonna tell me we’re all adopted…” Hikaru teased.

“It’s unfair to not include the woman that has borne your children” protested Tamaki.

Kyoya’s expression was best described as appalled. “I’m filing for divorce,” he said flatly.

\-----------

“What kind of twisted family does that rat think he has! How on earth did he end up that way? How do you raise that much of an idiot?!” Ranka was appalled, reasonably so. “That’s it! There is no way that idiot is going to have my grandchildren!”

\-----------

Kyoya looked over at Hikaru, then flipped open his ever-present black notebook to check a note he had made. “Haruhi,” he replied quickly having calculated it to be the best answer.

Hikaru leaned in and asked, in a theatrical whisper, “So Haruhi, who would you pick?”

\-----------

“YOU DO **NOT** ASK MY DAUGHTER THAT!”

\-----------

“I’ve never thought about it before…I don’t know.” Haruhi replied, head down but unable to stop herself from sneaking glances at each of the Hosts. They were all incredibly attractive, and she knew that objectively — otherwise why would so many girls flock to their events — but had never considered it herself. Studying to keep her scholarship, to become a lawyer took precedence over arrogant, ‘well-bred’, rich bastards. No matter how handsome.

“Think about it now Haru-chan!” said Honey, somehow keeping his usual innocent grin.

“You must have considered it once before, how about you confess it.” Hikaru’s leer was back.  
Chika tried to meet Kyoya’s eyes but the Shadow King was looking pointedly at the corner of the room. Then Chika knew, “Haruhi, there are punishments worse than Hikaru.”

“Nope!” the older twin replied. “Either she answers now, or tomorrow while she’s my slave she’ll tell me, while wearing a bikini.”

This time Kyoya met Chika’s look. ‘Let this one go’ passed through two pairs of glasses to Chika. “Nevermind, Hikaru is pretty bad,” he told Haruhi.

Through out this, every time Tamaki would try to speak, Kyoya would give him a little kick in the shins. At one point he opened his notebook and wrote a message to the Host king. ‘Shut up for your own good.’ While Tamaki wasn’t the sharpest nail in the box, he knew a secret warning message in Kyoya’s infamous notebook was not to be ignored. So he then spent a good chunk of his time lost in his mind theater imaging Kyoya as his super-secret accomplice in a stealth FBI mission.

“So who would it be Haruhi?” Kaoru inquired.

In that moment Satoshi was nearly indistinguishable from his older brother, both wore identical expressions of hopelessness and rage. Honey however resembled his brother less and less every second. Darkness was radiating from every inch of his usually cute face and his big brown eyes had a flat black colour.

“Haruhi passes,” he declared, cracking his knuckles and giving Hikaru an incredibly menacing look. After Hikaru nodded vigorously, Honey turned to Haruhi and said with his usual smile. “But you should still think about it Haru-chan!”

\-----------

“You are today’s saviour, the grand prize goes to Haninozuka!”

\-----------

After that round Kaoru figured everyone needed to tone it down so he insisted everyone confess their celebrity crush. Honey choose a famous voice actress, Ayaka Saito, and Tamaki picked a french singer, but trouble arose when Kyoya couldn’t name a single celebrity who wasn’t also business related.

Honey declared that everyone was to confess their favourite kind of cake. Even Chika admitted that strawberry cake was pretty good, but only if you ate it in moderation.

The rest of the game went smoothly — for the Host Club — until Kyoya’s turn to pick a subject. The glasses were pushed up, and reflected the light in a sinister way. “Confess one thing you feel you should have told someone here.”

Haruhi began by mumbling to the twins, “I’m grateful you guys packed me an extra suitcase.”

Which caused far too many tears and a very long speech about how Haruhi was finally turning into a beautiful, young woman.

Hikaru and Kaoru both confessed to having been the ones behind every prank that involved Tamaki’s stuffed bear. If Tamaki hadn’t been genuinely surprised then the rest of the Hosts were pretty sure it wouldn’t have been much of a confession.

Mori confessed that he prefered pie to cake, which caused more tears and a furious order for room service.

Kyoya’s turn came, the last confession to be made for the night, and he was interrupted by a delivery of mango tarts that Honey insisted Mori eat now. Chika of course had to freak out about eating late at night. Then the twins got bored and began flirting with Haruhi again.A full ten minutes later, Kyoya got everyone settle back down.

He was grinning, which was scary in itself and he looked like a cat who had finally given up toying with the mouse and was about to make a sure kill. Kyoya declared, “I confess that I should have told you, we were being filmed by our parents this entire time.”

**_"WHA-? "_ **

\-----------

Current Stats

4.5/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 35  
Honey: 24  
Kaoru, Hikaru, Mori, Satoshi: 22  
Chika: 20  
Tamaki: 0

Who has won Haruhi’s love?

-This was the first time Haruhi ever had to consider the Hosts as attractive to her, not just other girls. Is she going to begin to emerge from the cloud of obliviousness? Probably not yet...

In the lead: -Kyoya Ootori - the ever calculating

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have a favourite host? Let me know! I have ending planned for five of them already and it will be much easier to keep writing this if I know which to pick! I would really appreciate it. :)


	12. Ask An Otaku

Today Mr Hitachiin was watching the footage of the Host Club in Fiji. Ever since they had found out about being under observation they were all acting the perfect gentlemen, with varying degrees of success of course. Tamaki was being his usual self, princely and overly-gracious. Kyoya who had known all along kept it cool, as always. Mori, Satoshi, Chika and Honey were on super high protect Haruhi alert. The twins were trying to behave decently for once, Hikaru didn’t even make good on his victory in last night’s game and try to make Haruhi his slave and Haruhi was just freaked out about being watched. She had spent half an hour searching her room for cameras and muttering “big brother is watching”.

\-----------

The other thing that was stuck on Haruhi’s mind was Hikaru’s question for last night’s game and Honey’s insistence that even if she didn’t answer Haruhi should still think about it. ‘Who would I most want to have sex with? Gah! I can’t think that, it’s just too embarrassing… Maybe who would I find the most attractive.’ Haruhi found herself thinking, ‘Who would know how to determine this kinda stuff?...Renge!’

Which is how Haruhi ended up messaging Renge through the one platform she was sure to respond on, the Host Club site.

 

_Haruhi: How do you tell what a girl's type is?_

_Otakuqueen: Do you have a special girl in mind?_

‘Damn! Renge doesn’t know I’m a girl and so she can’t find out I’m asking about my self’

_Haruhi: No, I mean one of the Hosts asked me to find out who this new girl would be interested in._

_Otakuqueen: Ooh, a secret love affair, well what is she like?_

_Haruhi: She seems to study a lot._

_Otakuqueen: Has she shown any preferences?_

__

This took a lot of thought on Haruhi’s part… ‘ _Have_ I shown anyone a preference?’

_Haruhi: Not really_

_Otakuqueen: So she's not another fan of the princely type? Has Tamaki tried to charm her because most girls want a prince._

__

‘I don’t know… would I be interested in Tamaki? For now I’ll say no, just for the sake of hearing about the others—  of course.’

_Haruhi: She didn't seem to be impressed by Tamaki_

_Otakuqueen: So she might be more into boys like you or Kyoya, the more studious type._

__****  
  


‘Gahh. I’m my own type? That’s just too weird.’

_Haruhi: She is definitely not interested in me_

_Otakuqueen: And it doesn't matter if shes into Kyoya because one day that gentleman will be mine. ;) Tell me more about her._

__

‘What’s a good reason not to know much about a girl? I can’t let Renge find out about me.’

_Haruhi: I don't know, we only just met her_

_Otakuqueen: Here I'm going to send you some quizzes to help work it out, and you can tell me all about it during the hosting session in Fiji this weekend._

_Haruhi: Thanks Renge._

__

Attached were dozens of links to quizzes. There was a whole section entitled things like 'Which Host is Your Type?', that were designed for fans of Ouran's Host Club. Haruhi had never tried a ‘what’s your type?’ kind of quiz before, so she saw no problem in opening all of the links Renge had sent her. The first problem that came up was that all of the quizzes were dumb and pointless. They didn’t tell her about herself and each gave her a different result. The second problem was in the questions themselves. Haruhi didn’t know what her dream boy would look like, how he would act, what her dream date or favourite rom-com hero would be. She couldn't even decide which hair colour she thought was the most attractive. ‘Maybe black, or blond… but red is pretty nice too... then Chika has to make everything more complicated by throwing in another colour and I definitely like brown hair,’ Haruhi thought rolling the end of a chocolate strand between two fingers. ‘I need a haircut.’ The furthest she got on any of the quizzes was probably a what’s your favourite colour question, Haruhi liked dark blue because it reminded her of her mother. Which certainly didn’t help her decide between the Hosts. In terms of quiz answers she kept getting herself, which just felt awkward.

Haruhi was sitting and pondering how she would want to be proposed to and what her favourite kind of flower would be — personally Haruhi had always loved plum blossoms, again because they were her mother’s favourite but that still wasn’t helping — when Honey bounced into her room. It was early in the evening after a long day of hiking and swimming and Honey was the last person she expected to see, usually this would be his naptime. But he charged right into her room (where, to be fair, she had left the door propped open) and with pink flowers twirling against the backdrop of a wonderful sunset Honey grinned up at her.

“Whatcha doing Haru-chan?”

Haruhi fumbled to hide her the screen of the laptop— lent to her by Ouran for scholarship student over the summer studies— and its less than scholarly contents. “Ah, um its nothing Honey-senpai” she stammered out.

“That’s okay I wasn’t doing much either!” he said and in one swift and surprisingly clever movement he was perched on the edge of Haruhi’s massive hotel bed and clicking through the tabs she had open. “Hmmm...has Haru-chan reached a decision? Do you know which of us is your type?” Honey inquired, looking up at her with enormous brown eyes and through long, dark lashes.

“I.. I don’t know Honey-senpai” Haruhi replied, embarrassed under her senior’s big, brown gaze. It turned out that Honey had too much cute for one person to deal with it all at once, even when he was trying to be serious.

“Well keep thinking about it!” Honey said in his usual bright tone. “And don’t let anyone else see these quizzes, I think they’re cute but imagine what Kyo-chan would say, or worse Tama-chan!” With that frightening thought Honey got up and left Haruhi to her embarrassing Host Club quizzes and her horror.

‘Note to self, never ask an otaku for advice.’

\-----------

Current Stats

4.5 (ish)/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 35

Honey: 24

Kaoru, Hikaru, Mori, Satoshi: 22

Chika: 20

Tamaki: 0

Who has won Haruhi’s love?

-The poor girl can’t even think the word sex without getting embarrassed

 **  
**  
In the lead: -Kyoya Ootori - because he was fast out of the gate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing against Otaku, I'm knida one so really no harm meant.
> 
> I promise I'll update in less than a month this time, really, really I promise.
> 
> Finally, please let me know what you think, who you're rooting for and how you feel about Renge's advice. Have you taken a bad Host Club quiz? What results did you get? Because it turned out that once I started writing this I had to do some research and now I'm curious, also I always love hearing from you.


	13. Thunder and Lightning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That took forever! To be fair my laptop was broken and I only just got a new one, but it still made me break my promise. Sorry about that- the next one will come quicker and may contain a very long stretch of time.

At dinner that night Haruhi wore another Hitachiin original. A blue-green combo that floated around her legs and tripped her up as she walked. The Host Club had decided on having a particularly fancy dinner (even by their rich standards,) which explained Haruhi’s get up.

As always happened when the Hosts dined together the meal was outstanding and all attempts at conversation with Haruhi were thwarted by her joy over the food.

“So what do you think of Fiji?” Kyoya inquired.

Haruhi answered while accepting the plate of clams from Mori,“These clams are really good!”

“Did you enjoy snorkeling Haruhi?” Chika asked.

Now she was piling more clams on to her own plate, “Yeah, I got to see the same type of clams we’re eating now.”

Tamaki gave it a shot, “How about that lovely walk we took?”

“That was cool too. We got to check out the farm where the hotel sources most of its organic fruit” she replied, a piece of pineapple skewered on the end of her fork.

The entire dinner seemed to go that way, with the other Hosts using their well practiced charm to try to start a real conversation and Haruhi utterly focused on the food. Though, to be fair Mori said nothing and kept passing Haruhi new dishes and Honey kept asking what she thought of the cakes they had tried.

Eventually all of the Hosts’ manners dissolved, which was another thing that always seemed to happen. Tamaki took to squealing about how very charming his darling daughter was, with her love of life’s simple pleasures. Honey started begging Mori for cake in the middle of dinner and of course Chika began to yell at his older brother for being a cake demon, which in turn caused Satoshi to start beating Chika over the head. Hikaru and Kaoru went back to teasing Haruhi. Even Kyoya’s manners seemed to disappear as he pulled out his notebook and began jotting things down right at the table.

Finally the Hosts were done with their meal and ended up taking a walk along the beach. By then it had begun to grow dark and the pinks of the sunset had recced to purples and blues, dashed with white in their reflections on the water.

“Look! The first star of the evening!” Tamaki declared in his usual, over dramatic tone. “Isn’t it so romantic?”

“Senpai, that’s a satellite” replied Haruhi (in her usual dry tone).

“Oh… well then help me find the first star.” Tamaki switched from eager to sincere in a way that would make any host club fangirl faint. “When I was little my mother taught me how to wish upon the evening star and so I still wish for her sometimes.”

Tamaki was just done teaching Haruhi the right way to wish upon a star in french when thunder rumbled off in the distance. Fast moving clouds suddenly crowded the horizon, turning the water below into chopped steel.

“I… I’m going back inside, I… forgot something” Haruhi stumbled. Her Hitachiin wedges, which had been hanging from the ends of her fingers hit the sand and she ran barefoot back to the hotel. Tripping over the hem of her dress as she went.

“Hey! Your shoes!” cried Kaoru. Haruhi didn’t even look back. Once the younger twin picked up the wedges he let out an exasperated sigh. “There is sand in every possible crevice of these. The lack of regard for fashion!” By the time Kaoru looked up again from the shoes, his brother was long gone, having run after Haruhi. He felt strangely guilty, as if in letting Hikaru have this chance was letting down his father. Hitachiin men could be bold too, and he needed to stop leaving that to his brother. Turning around he saw five of his seven fellow male hosts and the trail of footprints left by Tamaki.

\-----------

“three… four... five” counted Tamaki.

**CRACK! ******

“The storm is getting closer, why won’t she let me in?” He wondered, real concern — not his usual panic — was in his voice. “Haruhi, open up!”

“I doubt she can hear you boss, she has probably hidden her head under every blanket she can find.” Hikaru replied. Then flashing Tamaki a grin he pulled out his own room key.

“What on earth are you doing? They’re different for each room, that won’t do you any good.”

“I know,” his grin broadened, he pulled out his cell phone and popped the back casing off, pressing his key card against the battery he proceeded to make a call from his phone to the front desk. Something about his key having demagnetised and how could the staff not have warned him and he was in Mr Ootori’s party and he certainly wasn’t impressed. “That should do it.”

A minute later (in fact 73 seconds, Hikaru had been timing it for fun) a maid arrived bearing a new room key, two mango smoothies and a pile of complimentary coconut cookies on a silver tray. She apologised profusely when Hikaru demonstrated that his key was now really demagnetised and he couldn’t enter the room — there was of course no mention that is was Haruhi’s room.

The new key did the trick and Tamaki and Hikaru were soon searching the suite for Haruhi. Eventually they found the end of a blanket poking out from under the enormous bed. Tamaki began to try to wiggle under the bed to be with Haruhi before Hikaru stopped him and pulled the blanket out from under the bed.

“Come on out,” Hikaru coaxed, “We have coconut cookies.”

Tamaki added, “I’ve shut all the blinds, come out Haruhi.”

A moment later Haruhi had wiggled back out from under the bed, and had grabbed the blanket back out from Hikaru’s hands and immediately wrapping herself in it again.

When the rest of the club found them half an hour later Haruhi was curled between Hikaru and Tamaki on the bed, surrounded by cookie crumbs, wearing massive headphones and bobbing her head to music only she could hear. None of them had noticed that the storm had been over for nearly ten minutes.

\-----------

If Ranka had been watching he would have panicked at the sight of his darling daughter on a bed with two young men, but Mr Hitachiin was still on the job so he wrote a fairly neutral report. As a result Ranka had to look favorably at the boys that had come to comfort his daughter.

\-----------

Current Stats  
4.5 (ish)/52 weeks down

Approval points (Ranka must give at least 50 points for the Host to be considered a potential suitor)

Kyoya: 35  
Hikaru: 30  
Honey: 24  
Kaoru, Mori, Satoshi: 22  
Chika: 20  
Tamaki: 8

Who has won Haruhi’s love?  
-She can’t seem to see the potential of friends becoming lovers, much less husbands

In the lead: -Kyoya Ootori - still


End file.
